New V3i ....complicated but I am just starting

Well today is my second day out with the V3i. I have to say it took me 2 days to start to understand what the detector was telling me. I was confident that since it wasn't my first detector I would catch it's language pretty fast. I was wrong.

Let me start from the beginning. I got the detector and spend one whole morning watching the instructional DVD (that I had basically watched before on youtube) to be familiar with it's capabilities. I grabbed the detector with me while watching the DVD and repeated every thing I saw the guy do on it. After that I was pretty confident in accessing the menus and what they were for. I wanted to go out and see what it could actually do. So the first day out I didn't know if

I was metal detecting or just starting there like a fool trying to figure out what was all the information the machine was giving me. On the video every thing looked easy, every signal was just perfect, a few explanations on the bad signals what all there was. First day out I hunted about 2 hours and dug up just ONE coin. I just couldn't understand it.

I decided to call it of, go home, start all over again, watch the DVD again, and then head out the next day (today).

Well today I decided to go to a new park that I had never been to so
I could test the V3i further. (Big mistake). I went to a park that I don't know if it was the soil condition or that there were strong RFI present but the MD was acting erratic at best. I blamed it to the park and decided to pick up my stuff and go to a near park I have detected with several machines in the past.

I started detecting, and again the results weren't good. At that point I thought that the fault wasn't on the park or the soil, the problem was in the detector. I thought of a solution. the only solution I had was to actually reset the program I had changed and start all over from zero. So I restored the factory settings for the C&J program and went to the factory settings. I than tweaked the program a bit on the sounds, and off I was detecting again. FINALLY the detector was doing what I wanted, it was responding to the coins as in the video and it was responding to the trash items telling me they were trash (still had to dig'em all to understand it's language). Well after another 2hours in this last park I called it off for the day. I had my 6 coins and two of them were 1948. I was happy to see that the detector was performing good after all. I just need to give it some more time. It is not an easy detector to be with. But I know I will prevail.

I think most V3i owners could cut, copy, paste, this blog and use it as their own wording. I know I watched the stuff on White's everyday till my detector got here and then watched it all over again trying different things. After almost two years I am still learning. The CJ program is still my favorite, but I have been using the Deep Silver program more often as it does go deep. In trashy parks the beeping will drive you bonkers if your not careful I learned a lot by air testing the unit, reading the VDI's, and most importantly learning the tones. If you don't have a test garden I would suggest making one to practice. You will also want to practice with the Analyze function. This function is very handy and can really help you from digging your butt of or skipping a gold ring thinking it is a pull tab. Have fun, don't get frustrated, and enjoy your new detector- it is a awesome unit!

Well today is my second day out with the V3i. I have to say it took me 2 days to start to understand what the detector was telling me. I was confident that since it wasn't my first detector I would catch it's language pretty fast. I was wrong.

Let me start from the beginning. I got the detector and spend one whole morning watching the instructional DVD (that I had basically watched before on youtube) to be familiar with it's capabilities. I grabbed the detector with me while watching the DVD and repeated every thing I saw the guy do on it. After that I was pretty confident in accessing the menus and what they were for. I wanted to go out and see what it could actually do. So the first day out I didn't know if

I was metal detecting or just starting there like a fool trying to figure out what was all the information the machine was giving me. On the video every thing looked easy, every signal was just perfect, a few explanations on the bad signals what all there was. First day out I hunted about 2 hours and dug up just ONE coin. I just couldn't understand it.

I decided to call it of, go home, start all over again, watch the DVD again, and then head out the next day (today).

Well today I decided to go to a new park that I had never been to so
I could test the V3i further. (Big mistake). I went to a park that I don't know if it was the soil condition or that there were strong RFI present but the MD was acting erratic at best. I blamed it to the park and decided to pick up my stuff and go to a near park I have detected with several machines in the past.

I started detecting, and again the results weren't good. At that point I thought that the fault wasn't on the park or the soil, the problem was in the detector. I thought of a solution. the only solution I had was to actually reset the program I had changed and start all over from zero. So I restored the factory settings for the C&J program and went to the factory settings. I than tweaked the program a bit on the sounds, and off I was detecting again. FINALLY the detector was doing what I wanted, it was responding to the coins as in the video and it was responding to the trash items telling me they were trash (still had to dig'em all to understand it's language). Well after another 2hours in this last park I called it off for the day. I had my 6 coins and two of them were 1948. I was happy to see that the detector was performing good after all. I just need to give it some more time. It is not an easy detector to be with. But I know I will prevail.

Norbyx,
BC here. Seen you your posts about the V3i. Nice first day finds. Hope it's been getting better.
I am relatively new to MDing, but am completely hooked. I currently have an Ace 350(decent starter), and am looking to upgrade.
I am technically adept, and like the bells and whistles of the V3i. What programs are you running now? Still happy with your machine? Any advice? I am on the fence about the V3i and the pretty easy to understand ATPro. Reaching out to you because you mentioned the learning curve of V3i.
Will be hunting coins and relics on my farm, and my father in-laws farm.

Well let me tell you that I didn't have much time to hunt lately, last week because of work and this past weekend because I was sick (and still am). Anyhow my experience on the V3i is quite limited for now, just about 20 hours on it. I hunt in coins and jewelery mode, just a little modified.
Now to the real answer, do I like the V3i.... OHHHH YES!!!!
I like it more than any detector I have ever used. I can tell 90% of the time what is down there, trash or coins. It is also very good in ID pull tabs once you understand a bit the machine, BUT I dig those anyway just in case it's a ring.
If you aren't concerned about not being waterproof as the AT Pro, I think that there isn't really a comparason between the units, the V3i IS the most advanced detector in the market period. It might work better or worse than other top of line detectors out there depending on ground conditions but for sure if you learn it well it's potential is endless...

Also there are various great deals on the net at the moment and you can get a V3i at just arround $1000.

My advise .... GO FOR IT.... don't even think about it. Once you have it you will understand why I love it. Now if you don't plan spending time learning it than that is not the detector for you, it needs time to learn but the best thing you can do is stick to the preset programs to start and than start the tweeking.

Well let me tell you that I didn't have much time to hunt lately, last week because of work and this past weekend because I was sick (and still am). Anyhow my experience on the V3i is quite limited for now, just about 20 hours on it. I hunt in coins and jewelery mode, just a little modified.
Now to the real answer, do I like the V3i.... OHHHH YES!!!!
I like it more than any detector I have ever used. I can tell 90% of the time what is down there, trash or coins. It is also very good in ID pull tabs once you understand a bit the machine, BUT I dig those anyway just in case it's a ring.
If you aren't concerned about not being waterproof as the AT Pro, I think that there isn't really a comparason between the units, the V3i IS the most advanced detector in the market period. It might work better or worse than other top of line detectors out there depending on ground conditions but for sure if you learn it well it's potential is endless...

Also there are various great deals on the net at the moment and you can get a V3i at just arround $1000.

My advise .... GO FOR IT.... don't even think about it. Once you have it you will understand why I love it. Now if you don't plan spending time learning it than that is not the detector for you, it needs time to learn but the best thing you can do is stick to the preset programs to start and than start the tweeking.

Hope I could help.... Let me know your decisions.

Norbyx,
Just upgraded to the AT Pro. Couple of reasons....Price point was more gentle, and since my my wife has kidnapped the Ace 350, I needed another detector. I do need a waterproof unit so I can detect the many river parks we have here in the mountains of NC.
Went in the woods yesterday, and found some clad coins on an old logging trail-didn't hit the jackpot yet, but had a blast.. Since we are new to MDing, the AT pro was a better choice for now, but may still look at further upgrading to V3i around Christmas
( to eliminate the beer caps/pull tabs and trash). Will be reading and watching. Thanks for the insightful information.
HH
BC

The V3i will be the last detector you will ever need. I love it & will enjoy it for many years to come. I started off with my Bounty Hunter 505 3 years ago. Once I was hooked (after a few months) and saw all the ads about the V3i, It was all I could do to wait til I could afford it (was un-employed for 7 months, thanks Washington), as I always wanted a Whites.

BC the AtPro is a great detector. You will enjoy it a lot. And if time will come when you will get yourself a V3i so be it.
Rebel you are quite correct in saying the V3i can easily become your "last" detector. I don't think it can get any better than that on a VLF detector. Now technology is going a to a different direction, once Ground penetrating radars will be afordable I think that is the future. It is a technology that if developed in the next few years to come it will let us know exactly what is down there. Might be that the VLF metal detectors will be looked back as prehistoric machines .... We shall see...

I had a fit with my VX3 at first around EMI.... and with soil containing high concentration of iron ore. Once I changed out to a DD coil the soil condition problem disappeared. The EMI.... I found there were two tricks.... crank the pre-amp gain down... and offset my freqs. I know pretty much immediately when I hit a spot to GB it well and then pull the trigger back and listen for the tell-tale "Wha-wha" sound. Thats when I go in and offset.... then go after the gain second.

V series are nice... they do have a learning curve from hell... but when you get the kinks figured out... it's definitely killer

If you ever hit the big one detecting....follow the 3S rule. Shoot. Shovel and Shut up.

My advise to using any new metal detector is to dig everything for the first few days if not a full week, and I mean EVERYTHING. The best way to learn your detector is to dig everything. That way you learn, for the most part, what VDI numbers match up with every target you dig. Including trash targets. It's just as important to learn what NOT to dig as it is what TO dig. I can say from my own experience another thing you might want to try is a smaller loop/coil. I have a eclipse 4x6 DD shooter coil which is excelent for high trash areas, but lacks a little in depth. I'm about to buy a Eclipse 5.3" coil next as I hear it gives you a little more depth.. The thing about the 10" 2DD coil is that it picks up everything under the coil not just under center. It's a different beast to learnbut is very good once you get used to it.

I just purchased a V3i today on Ebay with all the goodies its coming from Florida. So I am hopefull it will arive by Friday or Saturaday I also have been watching the UTube Videos before it arrives. I live in Newburgh Ny and have used a DI 6000 Pro SL and the only old coin I have found was a 1937 Indian Head Nickle. Found lots of Quarters and Dimes and many many Pennies a few Wheats. Any one live close by me let me no. Frank at mypenneys@hotmail.com

I stayed clear of the Vision and V3 until right after the V3i came out. I was on the Whites forum all the time back then and had read about everything there was to read about the Vision/V3. I have been using Whites since 89 and the previous machines that I had owned were the TR5000D, TR5000D series 2, Eagle (blue box first Eagle), MXT and BeachHunter I.D. I have owned 1 Garrett GT1500 (it was about a 1995 model I think?) that I bartered for and I was still able to get much more depth with my Eagle so I sold it. I finally bought me my first brand new detector(my MXT) in early 2005 and wow what a machine. I used the MXT with fantastic results until I finally bought the V3i right when they first came out. I used the stock programs for about the first month with it and I was getting best results with Hi-Pro but I wasn't convinced that I was getting more depth than my MXT, I was getting better analyzing capabilities especially them bottle caps I rarely dug them anymore except for the old sites sometimes. I finally figured I'd better install a better program so I started to dabble around with some different programs and Goat Rancher from Indiana recommended Magic's Pro so I tried that and am still using the same basic program. I have done some tweaks here and there with it but nothing major and I really like it. I have found that in the soil around here I never need to go above 10 on the receive gain and even running with it a 6 I can get some remarkable depths and target analyzing capabilities with it. I rarely run the TX Boost but just the other day I gave it a go and it does help a little but sure uses the power up. About the only upgrade I've been thinking about is an aftermarket coil like the 12x10SEF possibly but as far as detectors go I'm staying with my V3i.

The one thing that will make the V3i unstable is EMI. Lakemonster explained what to do when you get to a site - you have to turn down your RX gain and/or adjust frequency offset until the unit is quiet and stable. If you run it too sensitive in EMI, you will get all kinds of noise, false signals, and it will hit trash like it is seeing coins. At each site, I turn on the unit, hold the coil at waist height, pull the pinpoint, and spin around 360 to see if there is EMI and where it is the strongest. Then pointing it in the direction where it is the strongest, adjust frequency offset while holding pinpoint until the interference is minimized the best. Then adjust RX gain if needed. Then a good ground balance on a clean spot. I also run lock tracking, my V3i runs smoother in lock.

The D2 coil is an EMI magnet, I bought one when they first came out for my MXT and am still using it on my V3i, the one that came on my V3i is much heavier than the first ones. It also was an EMI magnet on the MXT as well. Sometimes I'll use just one single frequency in bad EMI environments, I just pinpoint with the coil about waist high and see which frequency is getting EMI the most, 22.5kHz is usually where I'll run in a bad EMI environment. Sometimes Salt mode works good too but I think than you lose some sensitivity in salt.